LeeAnne Beres EPA Climate Testimony

The good news is that in 20 years, a lot has changed. Now every major faith tradition and religious denomination has a statement about caring for creation, and there is a growing consensus among religious leaders that climate change is the most important moral issue of our time.

I am also representing Washington Interfaith Power & Light, which is part of the national Interfaith Power & Light network, active in 29 states and over 10,000 congregations nationwide. Interfaith Power & Light organizes a religious response to climate change, and I know you heard from some of our clergy at the hearing in Arlington on Monday. 

On behalf of this broad ecumenical and interfaith constituency, I am here to support the EPA’s finding that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions are a danger to public health, and to support regulation of these pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

The science on climate change is indisputable. Global warming is real, it’s happening, and it’s being caused by humans. But science alone won’t save us – we have to have the courage and the will to act.

Science can give us the information we need to act, but faith gives us the reason. Values are one of the gifts that people of faith bring to the conversation about climate change. Our work is grounded in the principles of stewardship, responsibility to future generations, sustainability, and justice. Your endangerment finding on greenhouse gas emissions is supported by these values.

Regulating carbon dioxide and other pollutants will protect human health, especially among vulnerable populations. Your bold action will protect people living in poverty here in the United States and around the world from the worst impacts of climate change, such as drought and famine. And your efforts will protect all of God’s creation and the 20 to 30 percent of plant and animal species at risk of extinction due to global warming.

If we allow human-caused environmental disasters like climate change to destroy ecosystems and cause harm to our human brothers and sisters, we have truly failed to love our neighbors as ourselves.

All across the country, religious communities and people of faith are doing our part to meet the challenge of climate change.

The Episcopal Church has the Genesis Covenant, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all church-owned buildings by 50% within 10 years.  Interfaith Power & Light has a “Cool Congregations” carbon footprint calculator in use in houses of worship from coast to coast.  And you’ll hear more about the Jewish Climate Challenge and the climate activities of the Lutheran church from the next two testifiers.

The bottom line is that we in the religious community are doing our part on global warming.  We look to the federal government to do its part as well, and applaud the EPA for recognizing the importance of regulating green house gases to protect human health and the environment. Thank you for your leadership on this important issue.